A casino in the UK has found itself more than $130,000 out-of-pocket after a staff cocktail party took a sinister turn, providing a timely reminder of the value of civility as businesses plan their end-of-financial-year parties.

Aspers Casino in London has been forced to pay out £74,000 (more than A$130,000) to long-serving employee Rita Leher after the company invited everyone but her to an evening of drinks.

Not only did Ms Leher not receive an invite to the event, but other staff members reportedly planned the party in front of Ms Leher – an act that employment judge Sarah Moor described as “victimisation” in her ruling.

Ms Leher was reportedly the only person in the room during the planning phase who was not invited to the event.

This left her feeling “shunned” by her colleagues, she said.

Although Ms Leher’s exclusion from the boozy exploits of her co-workers was arguably the cocktail straw that broke the camel’s back, it was not the only example of ‘victimisation’ that Ms Leher faced at her job.

Judge Moor also found Ms Leher, 51, had been denied training opportunities that had been offered to younger staff and ignored when applying for more senior positions at the casino, despite having worked there for more than a decade.

Ms Leher already had 22 years of casino experience under her belt when she commenced at Aspers in 2011 too, the tribunal heard, and has since left the casino.

Sources:

• The Telegraph, Cashier not invited to work drinks given £74,000 compensation
• Mirror.co.uk, Casino cashier awarded £74k after ‘insensitive’ colleagues didn’t invite her for drinks
• yahoo! news, Woman not invited to work drinks awarded $130,000 in compensation